Vacuum cleaner with selective nozzles and brushes



July3, 195] J. A. c. MALcHUs 2,553,864

VACUUM CLEANER WITH SELECTIVE NOZZLES AND BRUSHES Filed July 25, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet l FIGJ A.) Anngz July 3, 1951 J. A. c. MALCHUS 2,558,854

VACUUM CLEANER WITH sELEcTvE: NozzLEs AND BRUSHES Filed July 25, 194e x 5 sheets-sheet 2 July 3, 1951 J. A. c. MALcHUzs 2,558,864

VACUUM CLEANER WITH SELECTIVE NOZZLES AND BRUSHES Filed July 25, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.3

July 3, 1951 J. A. c. MALcHUs 2,558,864

VACUUM CLEANER WITH SELECTIVE NOZZLES AND BRUSHES Filed July 25, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 f /wg July 3, 1951 J. A. c. MALcHUs 2,558,854

VACUUM CLEANER WITH SELECTIVE NOZZLES AND BRSrES 5 Sheetq-Sheet 5 Filed July 25, 1946 INVENTOR. JOHANNES ANDRIES CHRISTIAAN MALCHUS ATTORNEY Patented `iuly 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VACUUM CLEANER WITH SELECTIVE NOZZLES AND BRUSHES Johannes Andries Christiaan Malchus, Amsterdam, Netherlands; D. Giltay Veth and II. Funnekotter, curators in bankruptcy of said Johannes Andries Christiaan Malchus, assignors to Raymond Torin, London, England Application July 25, 1946, Serial No. 686,224 In the Netherlands March 25, 1942 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires March 25, 1962 Claims.

This invention relates to a iloor tool which may be used as a suction cleaner and as a sweeping machine.

An object of the present invention is to provide a oor tool of above described type with a mechanism, by means of which suction may be automatically applied to the sweeping mechavnism when the latter is rendered active and by machine according to the invention, with lthe* cleaning mechanisms in the activenposition;

Fig. 2 a partially sectional plan view l throug'lr and' floorV the common cap of dust aspirat cleaner;

Fig. 3 asimilar section as in Fig;2"with th'e floor cleaning mechanisms in the active position;

Fig. 4 a vertical section partly side View of the lower part of the machine; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

The floor tool according to the invention comprises a cap D containing a cap or compartment 2 with two sweeping means or cleaning brushes 3. Each brush is rotatable on a stud or shaft 4 which shaft is eccentrically mounted on a disc 5, centrally fixed on an adjusting or setting shaft 6. The disc 5 is provided at the lower side with a flange, on which the closing plate or valve 1 is fixed, the purpose of which will be elucidated hereinafter. On the upper surface of the disc 5 a locking; disc 8 is fixed provided with teeth 9 (Figs. 2 and 3), engaging notches or slots Ill of a sleeve I I fixed in the cap I and guiding the setting or adjusting shaft 6 in a rotatable manner. Rigidly 'xed to the upper end of the setting shaft 6 is a hood I2, wherein is arranged a torsion spring I3, one end of said spring I3 being secured to said hood I2, the other end of said spring I3 being in rigid connection with the cap or casing I for a purpose to be described hereinafter. ,The hood I 2 and setting shaft 6 may be lowered, lifted and rotated together as a unit; the hood I 2 is not 2 movable relative to the setting shaft 6. The hood I2 is connected by means of a hinge I4 and an arm I5 with a lever I6 rotatable on a pin I'l carried by a bracket 36 secured to the casing I.

5 The rotatable lever I6 is provided with a projection 2|. The two legs I8 of a U-shaped strap are also rotatable on this pin I1, in order to actuate the combined machine. Each leg I8, only one of which is shown, actuates one brush 3.

l0 Each leg I8 has two cams I9 and 20. 'I'he cam I9 presses in the one position (shown in dotted and dash lines in Fig. 1) upon the projection 2| and in the other position (shown in full lines in Fig. 1) the cam 20 presses upon the upper end of 15 the adjusting shaft 6.

A casing 22 comprising a suction-creating fan 34 driven by a motor is mounted on the cap I, whilst in the cap I is also arranged the junction tube 23for the flexible exhaust tube 24.

.20 A downwardly extending actuating shaft 25 (Figs. 2, 3, 5) rigidly connected with the shaft of the motor-fan assembly may drive both cleaning brushes by friction (Fig. 3). In the inactive or retracted position (Fig. 2) both cleaning 25 `brushes are out of contact with the actuating shaft 25. At the sides of thebrushes 3 are ar- -ranged two running wheels (not shown) and a supporting wheel 2l in order to maintain a certain distance between the brush and the floor when aspiratlng.

3- shaft to the beating brushes or agitator 39. This transmission takes place by means of a rubber belt or string 26, guided by a guiding roller 3I. The nozzle chamber 28 communicates with the chamber (Fig. 5) of the casing 22 containing the suction-creating fan 34 through an opening 33. Furthermore, as best shown in Figs. l and 4, a passage 32 connects the interior of the compartment 2 with the nozzle chamber 28 and thus through said opening 33 with the chamber 35 containing the suction-creating fan 34. Said passage 32 is closed by the valve or plate 'l when the sweeping brushes 3 are in their inactive or retracted position shown in Fig. l. In the active or advanced position of the sweeping brushes 3 the valve I opens the passage 32 so that the dust thrown up by the sweeping brushes 3 may be sucked in by the fan 34 The machine is functioning in the following manner: When the cleaning or sweeping brushes must be brought into action, the handstrap I8 is moved clockwise (downward in Fig. 1). The cam presses upon the upper surface of the setting or adjusting shaft 6 and then the said shaft 6 moves downward and moves the teeth 9. of the locking disc 8 out of engagement with the notches I8.

By moving the strap I8 downward the spring I3 is compressedby the hood I2 iixed to the setting shaft 8. The said spring has a certain pretorsional stress. As soon as the teeth 9 leave the notches I0, said torsion spring I3 is automatically released, so that it causes a rotation of the shaft i with the disc 8 and the disc 5 is rotated.

The teeth 9 of the disc 8 come under the notchless part of the sleeve Il (Fig. 3) so that the cleaning or sweeping brushes are held in their active or advanced position wherein they are in engagement with the oor. By rotating the discs 5 secured to the setting shafts 6 the shafts or studs 4 will also rotate around the axis of the associated setting shaft 6, so that both cleaning or sweeping brushes are brought into engagement with the actuator shaft for rotation by the motor.

As the disc 5 moves down, the plate 'I is removed from the passage 32, ,so that suction is applied to the compartment 2.containing the sweeping brushes 3 driven by the motor. Suction is also applied to the nozzle chamber 28 containing the agitator 30 likewise driven by the motor. However, at this time, the agitator 30 is disengaged from the oor as shown in Fig. 4.

If it is necessary to put the cleaning or sweep-' ing mechanism out of action to render the agitator 30 eifective the handstrap I8 is moved into the outer left position (Fig. 1 dotted lines). The cam I9 engages thereby the extension 2I and presses the same down. Then the lever I8 moves to the right and rotates the hood I2 by. means of the arm I5 until the teeth 9 of the locking disc 8 come opposite to the notches I0 of the sleeve II, so that these teeth engage the notches under the action of the spring I3 now released and the cleaning or sweeping brushes 3 are lifted into the retracted position wherein they are disengaged from the floor. The studs 4 are rotated about the axis of the associated setting shaft 6 and bring the cleaning or sweeping brushes out of engagement with the actuating shaft 25. By the rotation of the hood the spring is once more torsioned Furthermore, owing to the lifting of the sett-ing shafts 6 by` the action of the springs I3, the valves 1 connected to said setting shafts are brought into a position wherein the passages 32 are closed, so that no suction can be applied to the compartment 2 at this time. The retraction of the sweeping brushes 3 into their inactive position causes an engagement of the agitator or beating brushes 30 with the floor. 'Ihe teeth 9 of the locking disc 8 engaged with the slots I0 of the stationary locking :member II present a rotation of the setting shaft S under the action of the spring I3 at this time.

What I claim is: I

l. A iloor tool comprising in combination: a casing including suction-creating means, a motor connected to said suction-creating means for driving same, a nozzle chambery communicating with said suction-creating means and having a suction opening, a compartment provided with a downwardly facing aperture, a passage connecting said compartment with said suction-creating means, a valve associated with said passage for closing and opening same, sweeping means rotatably arranged in said compartment, said sweeping means being adjustable in a retracted position disengaged from the iioor and in an advanced position engaged with the iioor, disengageable coupling means between said motor and said sweeping means, and setting means associated with said valve, said sweeping means and said coupling means for setting same,l in alternative positions wherein said valve closes said passage, said sweeping' means are in the retracted position and said coupling means are in disengaged condition or wherein said valve 'opens said passage, said sweeping means are in the advanced Y position and said coupling means are in engaged condition for coupling said sweeping means with said motor.

2. :A floor tool comprising in combination: a casing including suction-creating means, a motor connected to said suction-creating means for driving same, a nozzle chamber communicating Vwith said suction-creating means and having a downwardly facing suction mouth, an agitator rotatably arranged in said suction mouth, said motor being coupled with said agitator for rotating same, a compartment provided with a downwardly facing aperture, a passage connecting said compartment with said suction-creating means, a valve associated with lsaid passage for closing and opening same, sweeping means rotatably arranged in said compartment, said sweeping means being adjustable in a retracted position disengaged vfrom the floor and in an advanced position engaged with the floor, disengageable lcoupling means between said motor and said sweeping means, and setting means associated with said valve, said sweeping means and said coupling means for setting same in alternative positions wherein said valve closes said passage,

said sweeping means are in the retracted position and said coupling means are in disengaged conditionor -wherein said valve opens said passage, said sweeping means are in the advanced position and said coupling means are in engaged condition for coupling said sweeping means with said motor.

3. In a floor tool as claimed in claim l, a vertical actuating shaft connected to said motor, at least one vertical setting shaft, each setting shaft being slidable between an upper and a lower position and being rotatable, a vertical stud eccentrically arranged to and rigidly connected with such a setting shaft so as to participate in 'the movements of the latter, each stud carrying a sweeping means rotaably mounted thereon, said valve being connected to said setting shaft, and actuating means associated with each setting shaft for displacing and rotating same, each of said sweeping means being disengaged from said actuating shaft when it is in its upper retracted position and being in engage- Ais in its upper position, said locking means releasing automatically said setting shaft for rotation by said resilient means when it is brought into its lower position, a vertical stud eccentrically arranged to and rigidly connected with such a setting shaft so as to participate in the movements of the latter, each stud carrying a sweeping means rotatably mounted thereon, said valve being connected to said setting shaft, a swingable actuating lever, first cam means arranged on said swingable actuating lever for depressing said setting shaft against the action of said resilient means and for causing an automatic release of said setting shaft by said locking means when the lever is swung into one extreme position, controlling means associated with said setting shaft, and second cam means arranged on said swingable actuating lever for actuating said controlling means so as to cause a return rotation of said setting shaft against the action of said resilient means and a lifting of said setting shaft by said resilient means when the lever is swung into its other extreme position, each of said sweeping means being disengaged from said actuating shaft when it is in its upper retracted position and being in engagement with said actuating shaft when it is in its lower advanced position.

5. In a oor tool as claimed in claim 3, said locking means comprising a stationary body having slots and a toothed element rigidly connected with said setting shaft, the teeth of said toothed element being capable of engagement with and disengagement from said slots.

JOHANNES ANDRIES CHRISTIAAN MALCHUS.

REFERENCES CITED 'Ihe following references are of record in the le of this patent: Y

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,040,038 Shaier Oct. 1, 1912 1,462,071 Rieman July 17, 1923 1,688,580 Gernandt Oct. 23, 1928 2,218,035 Benson Oct. 15, 1940 2,218,166 Gerber Oct. 15, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 289,556 Germany Jan. 5, 1916 113,886 Switzerland Feb. 16, 1926 

